An international sculpture projectThe Hvaler Art Association would hereby like to introduce a proposition to create a collection of sculptures at Rødshuet for the pleasure and enlightenment of both the local population and visitors from home and abroad. We envision an international art and cultural milieu, which among other things will accentuate and carry on the strong local historic tradition found in the earlier stonecutting operations in this magnificent landscape between land and sea. 

Placement
As organizer of a number of successful art exhibitions since its establishment in 2002, the board of Hvaler's Art Association has expressed adesire to expand the association¹s traditional activities. The project hasbeen called 'Art to Hvaler' and is to be a collection of sculptures locatedon the southern end of Rødshuet. Here we have already established a milieu in connection with the pilgrim's path that leads to the stone cross for this area.This powerful, monumental area where the sea meets the shore is extremely well suited to the collection of sculptures mentioned. Its placement gives the landscape a lift with the light from the sea reflecting on the sculptures and the voice of the sea, which varies between a soft whisper anda mighty thunder when the forces of nature are unleashed. There are few places at Hvaler where one can experience the essence of Hvaler's nature as magnificently and intensely as here. There is also a great potential in the rock material already present in the area, remains of the previously mentioned stonecutting culture in the municipality. We visualize too that perhaps the pebbled moraines and the bedrock itself, in addition to shafted pits or niches in the terrain, can be included in different types of sculptural expression.In this connection it is important that we do not make radical changes in the milieu, but instead let the sculptures have the chance to 'grow out ofthe ground' so to speak. We have also thought of placing the sculptures at an appropriate distance from the path itself  so that they forma general pattern. The newly placed structures should not dominate andshould show suitable respect for the original landscape.
The term 'international' in the subtitle of this project has a doublemeaning. Firstly, the idea is to invite both Norwegian and foreign artists who will undoubtedly be inspired by the location and its surroundings to participate in its adornment. Secondly, the word 'international' may also refer to the fact that the main artery to the rest of Europe, also regularly used by seamen from Hvaler, followed the same waterways that in storm and incalm touch land in this fantastic area.

History
As we know, the stone industry experienced a boom in the Hvaler area, as inseveral other parts of the region, during the latter part of the 19thcentury. This applied to Rødshuet too, which with its location by the sealent itself well to the shipping out of stone products by boat, since it wasexpensive to send them over land. Here and in other quarries a great amount of kerbstone of varying sizes forthe sidewalks in Christiania were chiselled out, along with street stones of varying quality, which were exported to England, Denmark, Holland, Belgium,South-America and Norwegian towns such as Ålesund and Trondheim.The increase in professional activity among stonecutters, which became a newoccupational group in local society the latter part of the 1890's, led to among other things the founding of Skjelsbo Stenhuggerforening (Skjelsbostoneworker¹s union) in 1895, and also to the raising of Folkets Hus (ThePeople's Community Centre) on Spjærøy in 1898. This was the first housewhich was built for the purpose of providing a meeting place for the labour movement in Norway. Here cultural pioneer projects were established in the form of a library, a place for horn players to meet and an amateur theatre.

Financing
In the beginning what started the idea of a collection of sculptures was thefact that the owner of Hvaler Gjestegiveri (Hvaler Guesthouse), Øystein Elgheim, contacted the Art Association and offered to sponsor a Norwegian or foreign artist for four to six weeks with free room and board at the inn.The purpose was to draw up an artistic project which could be so placed asto give pleasure and enlightenment to Hvaler's population as well as tovisitors to Hvaler. The Art Association greeted the offer with open arms.Eventually the ideas outlined in this prospectus came into being.

Scholarship
The project aims to bring an internationally known sculptor to the area every year, to start with for 5 years, after which the project will beevaluated.The artist will be offered a scholarship and free room and board in the area with the understanding that a sculpture will be produced for the collection..To cover these expenses we will apply for funds from the public authoritiesand the Art Association will try to find sponsors from business and from culturally interested sources in general.